Chapter 24

Valerie’s pov.

The days seemed to fly by in a blur. I spent more and more time with Oliver and that only left me more confused about our relationship and where we stood. There were countless moments between us where everything felt real and his words easily made me believe that neither of us was doing this for a 33% share of the company. But then doubts would creep in, fueled by past experiences and the fear of being hurt.

On that particular Sunday evening, I found myself alone at the house while Oliver was out for a meeting. With some time to myself, I decided to indulge in cooking a comforting meal. The aroma of the pasta filled the air, and I took pride in my culinary creation. As I tidied up and began putting away the dishes, a plate slipped from my hands and shattered on the ground, leaving me with an unexpected mess to clean up.

I began to look for the trash bin, unable to find it, then remembered the other should be in the second garage where Oliver took it to last. The second garage, which he used as a storage room. He had warned me not to go in there due to the disorganized nature of the space and the potential hazards that were present. But I needed the dustbin plus I was curious to go there. What if he was hiding bodies?

I opened the door and was immediately taken aback by the sight in front of me. There were piles of boxes that went from the floor up to the ceiling. Some tools scattered around on the ground, random appliance packaging, and unused furniture that I assumed didn’t fit the aesthetic. Amongst the clutter, my eyes were immediately drawn to a familiar sight—the vibrant red exterior of a Chevy. It was Betty, my old car—the very one I had been forced to sell in times of desperate need. But to my surprise, it appeared to be in a much better condition than when I had sold it.

A mix of emotions washed over me as I stood there, staring at my first-ever car. How was it possible that Oliver had acquired it? Could it be that he wasn’t exactly the asshole I made him out to be? Did he buy this car so I could have the necessary funds to leave the city? Wow. Despite his past behavior, it seemed that he still possessed a trace of compassion and kindness.

Throughout our time together, Oliver had never used this act of generosity against me. He could have easily thrown it in my face, reminding me of the debt I owed him. Instead, he quietly purchased my broken car—the very car I worked so hard for and bought with all the money I saved up through babysitting, waiting tables, and tutoring. A symbol of my hard work and sacrifice. Selling it had not been an easy decision, but the cost of repairs had been beyond my means.

I didn’t want to believe it and went on my phone to search for the contact information to see who I sold it for. ‘Kevin Warren’ I frowned and reread the name before it dawned upon me that Kevin was one of the Martinez drivers. He used him as a cover to obtain this car and get me the funds I need.

Now that very car was right there in the best condition ever. All because of Oliver, he could’ve sold it but he must’ve known what it meant to me and instead fixed it for me.

A surge of conflicting emotions coursed through me as I ran my fingers along the smooth, cool metal of the car. Oliver stirred something deep within me—something I couldn't deny. It was becoming increasingly clear that my feelings for him extended far beyond our arrangement. This game of pretending had long since ceased, and it was not just me who had stopped pretending.

Nervous energy crackled within me, clouding my thoughts. I couldn't keep these emotions locked away any longer. I had to release them, to lay bare my true feelings for Oliver. Without hesitating, I made my way to him, my heart pounding with anticipation.

I couldn't wait until Oliver got home; my nerves wouldn't allow it. I decided to go to his office, knowing he had a scheduled meeting for the day. As I entered the building, it was clear that not everyone worked on Sundays. There were only a few workers present.

"Hello, Grace," I greeted the receptionist.

"Hello, Val. You can go ahead and wait for him in his office, he might be done with the meeting now," Grace kindly informed me before I even had a chance to ask. I nodded gratefully and made my way up to Oliver's office.

Walking down the hallway, my heartbeat quickened, and my palms grew sweaty. I could feel the nervous energy building inside me. As I approached his office, I looked through the glass wall and felt a frown forming on my face. There she was again—Eden. This time, she emerged from his private bathroom, adjusting her hair and smoothing out her skin-tight dress.

My heart sank, and I immediately turned and rushed out of the building. Tears welled up in my eyes as I made my way to the car and drove home. I couldn't believe I had let myself believe that Oliver could care about me beyond the 33% share. It was all a lie, and I had been foolish to think otherwise.

***

Once home, I went up to the bedroom and took care of my tear-stained face, doing my best to appear composed. After freshening up, I returned to bed, snuggled under the blankets, put on a movie, and began to binge eat sour worms.

I froze as Oliver entered the room, his presence filling the space with a mix of emotions—relief, confusion, and a tinge of apprehension. I tried to bury my vulnerability beneath the covers, pretending to be engrossed in the movie playing on the screen. It was a feeble attempt to shield myself from the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that had consumed me since I left his office.

Oliver's gaze lingered on me, his eyes scanning my face with a mixture of concern and curiosity. I could feel his presence enveloping me, making it harder to pretend like I was unbothered.

"You visited my office. Why did you leave?" His voice was gentle, carrying a hint of worry that tugged at my heart.

My eyes flickered briefly toward him, but I quickly averted my gaze. I wasn't ready to confront the complexities of my emotions, let alone have a conversation about what I had witnessed.

"Why do you care?" I replied, my voice betraying a trace of hurt and confusion.

His footsteps approached the bed, and the mattress sank slightly as he took a seat beside me. I could feel his intense gaze upon me as if he were trying to unravel the turmoil inside my mind.

"Because I might have a theory as to why you're under the covers, watching a silly rom-com and indulging in comfort food," Oliver spoke softly, his words laced with a mixture of empathy and understanding as he read me like a damn open book.

I clutched the blanket tightly, my knuckles turning white, as I struggled to find the words to express the storm of emotions raging within me. My heart longed to be honest, to bare my soul to him, but fear held me back—fear of rejection, fear of losing what little control I had left.

"I had a long day," I finally managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper, hoping to divert his attention away from the truth.

Oliver shook his head, his expression filled with compassion. "I know that's not true, Valerie. I know you better than that."

"Now, tell me, why did you leave the office before I could see you?" he pressed, his gaze focused solely on me. "Grace mentioned she saw you going up and down in less than three minutes," he added, leaving me no room to lie.

He had some nerve to show up like this after whatever he had done with Eden. Still, I tried my best to act unbothered.

"I wasn't interested in seeing you follow behind Eden," I replied, nonchalantly scanning my freshly manicured nails. Mom had taken me and Maddi to the salon, and it was a nice treat.

"Eden? What did Eden do?" Oliver furrowed his brow, and I had to admit, he was quite convincing.

"Don't treat me like an idiot, Oliver," I shot him a glare, and he still seemed clueless.

"Valerie, I genuinely don't know what you're talking about," he insisted. "I was on the top floor, and when I came down, Grace told me that Eden had stopped by and you as well. She mentioned that you left early, and I found Eden in my office," Oliver explained.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Was it possible that he truly wasn't in the room? Could I be naive enough to believe him? No. "Am I just supposed to believe that?"

"Yes, whatever you're thinking, it didn't happen," Oliver sounded relieved. "You can ask my clients, even check these photos. They're time-stamped," he said, pulling out his phone and showing me pictures of him at the table on the top floor with his clients, the timestamps confirming his story. "All I remember is coming back, finding Eden in my office, and you weren't there," he added.

I looked at the photos again, comparing them to my memory. Everything aligned; he had returned in the same state he had left.

"Whatever, how was the meeting?" I handed back his phone, pretending to be engrossed in the movie.

"It went well. But tell me Val, what did you need to tell me in the office?" Oliver's fingers brushed against my cheek, turning my face to look at him.

"It's nothing."

"It certainly seemed like something to me. Come on, Val, what is it?" he pressed further, his voice soft and honeyed.

"I wanted to tell you something, but it's not important anymore," I lied, avoiding his gaze.

"I'll be the judge of that," he persisted. "I noticed the garage door was open," he pointed out, and I silently cursed myself for leaving it like that.

I hummed, meeting his eyes.

"You saw your old car... It was supposed to be a surprise. I'm still working on it," Oliver explained, his tone genuine.

"I saw that. Why did you do it?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't know. I just felt like helping you back then," Oliver admitted, catching me off guard. "And now, I'm doing it because... Ah, never mind, it's nothing," he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes as if he knew exactly what he was doing.

"I'll be the judge of that," I challenged, my heart racing in my chest. Could there be something more to this?

"I don't think so. Let me know when you're ready for the truth," Oliver sighed, his hand caressing my cheek.

"Oliver, I think I love you." The words slipped out without a second thought.